The most commonly used materials for animal bedding are wood shavings and straw. Sometimes hay is substituted for straw. These materials, especially wood shavings, have very little ability to absorb moisture or animal waste and contribute nothing toward pest control. Further, after these materials have been utilized for bedding, such as in a horse stable, cow barn, or the like, they are extremely bulky and create a serious bulk handling and disposal problem. In addition, while the use of wood shavings and straw employ natural, biodegradable products, the biodegradability is relatively slow and the biodegraded products contribute little to soil character or fertility.
For these reasons, there exists a need for improved animal bedding material that makes use of readily available raw materials. Particularly, there is a need for an animal bedding material that can be made employing a product that within itself constitutes a waste disposable problem, that is, waste paper. Further, there is a need for an animal bedding material that is highly water absorbent, that is helpful in reducing insects and odors, and when fully utilized is of substantially less bulk than wood shavings and straw. Even more important, a need exists for an animal bedding material that, when used, can be disposed of on land for use in improving the texture and the fertility of the land.